Seau's feats on and off field spoke for themselves

Junior Seau, perhaps the county’s greatest sports icon, who also threw his colossal personality into philanthropic causes and local business ventures, was pronounced dead late in the morning after suffering a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Oceanside home.

“He was the fabric — really a part of this community,” Chargers President Dean Spanos said soon after hearing of Seau’s death. “He was the heart and soul of our team for so many years. Even after he left, his roots and his home were still here. People just loved him and admired him.”

Arguably, no local athlete has ever defined the term “icon” as thoroughly as Seau.

“It’s hard to put to words how I feel right now,” said former Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson. “I learned how to be a pro because of him. I learned how to start a foundation and work in the community because of him. I learned how to relate to people because of him — fans, signing autographs. I’m just hurt. He’s an icon I looked up to my entire life before I got to San Diego. Even to this day. It’s a numb feeling in my heart right now.”

Not even Tomlinson, who inherited from Seau the proverbial mantle of face of the franchise, could approach Seau’s legacy in San Diego. This is not New York, where icons grow on skyscrapers. Perhaps only Tony Gwynn or Dan Fouts could even come close here.

“In my opinion, there has been nobody bigger when it comes to San Diego sports,” said U-T San Diego Publisher Doug Manchester, a close friend of Seau’s. “… It’s a sad day for San Diego. He was full of life. He was never down. The fact is, he was larger than life.”

Seau played 13 seasons for the Chargers and was a Pro Bowler for the final 12 of those. He was traded in April 2003 and played three years with the Miami Dolphins.

A retirement in August 2006, which featured an emotional ceremony at Chargers Park, lasted just four days before Seau signed with the New England Patriots, for whom he played at least portions of the next four seasons.

Seau retired for good in January 2010 and will undoubtedly be inducted into the Hall of Fame after a 20-year career in which he played in two Super Bowls, was the NFL Man of the Year in 1994 and appeared in 268 games, second-most ever among NFL linebackers.

“I’ve never seen anything like him,” said former Chargers teammate Billy Ray Smith.

Seau’s accomplishments and personality certainly contributed to his enduring esteem in San Diego, but so did the fact the 43-year-old continued to make his home near where he grew up. He was frequently spotted at North County beaches, often participating in his later-in-life passion of surfing.

When announcing his official retirement a little more than two years ago, Seau said, “I’m going surfing.”

Seau was born Jan. 19, 1969, in Oceanside. His full given name was Tiaina Seau III, and he came to be known as Junior as a means of being differentiated from his father.

Junior Seau grew up one of six children in the family’s tiny home on Zeiss Street.

As was his Samoan heritage, that rise from the rough eastern section of Oceanside was a compelling part of Seau’s story and is the genesis of his legacy, as it compelled him to not only succeed but to give back to causes for disadvantaged youth right up until his death. Seau’s younger brother would become affiliated with a gang and be incarcerated as a youth for his role in a homicide. Two relatives were killed in gang-related violence in Oceanside in the 2000s.

Seau starred in football, basketball and track at Oceanside High School and then played football at USC, where he was a unanimous All-American his junior season. After that year, he was drafted fifth overall by his hometown NFL team in 1990. In 1994, he was part of the franchise’s only Super Bowl team.

When Seau was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a conditional draft pick, former teammate Rodney Harrison summed up his shock by saying: “The San Diego Chargers are defined by Junior Seau. You have one of the greatest linebackers ever to play the game, the guy who really set the tone for the city and the organization.”

While the Chargers were among the worst teams in the NFL for a long stretch in the late ’90s and into the new millennium, Seau remained an unquestionable star.

Aside from many seasons leading the Chargers in sacks and tackles, Seau was known for his exuberant playing style, almost always being around the ball at the end of a play, and his fist-pumping dance that would follow big plays. A former teammate has yet to be found that did not passionately describe Seau’s work ethic and leadership. And he played hurt, often refusing to leave games. Despite being one of the fiercest defenders in the NFL, using his body as a weapon, he started all but nine games in his 12 seasons with the Chargers.

When Seau un-retired in ’06, he cited a desire to continue chasing a championship, and he got one more chance.

The Patriots went to the Super Bowl after the 2007 season, an appearance earned with a victory over the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game.

“I am always a Charger,” Seau said in the immediate aftermath of that game. “I took the scenic route to get here.”

The Patriots would lose the Super Bowl two weeks later.

When he retired in 2010, Seau said, “The experiences I’ve had and people I’ve met on this journey will last a lifetime.”

During a halftime ceremony at Qualcomm Stadium inducting him into the Chargers Hall of Fame last November, Seau mixed a motivational speech with his reminiscence and actually led the crowd in prayer at one point.

“Work today, build for tomorrow and pray for the rest,” Seau said during his speech.

His over-the-top personality on and off the field, as well as his philanthropic and business work, made him more than a sports figure.

The Junior Seau Foundation, formed in 1992, has raised at least $4 million for programs that help youth. His foundation’s golf tournament and holiday “Shop with a Jock” for underprivileged children were annual staples. And it was difficult to find anyone who had not at least once been privy to one of his rousing speeches at various events.

“He’s a big guy who did great things,” said Manchester, who helped Seau start his foundation and served on the foundation’s board for many years. “He is no longer with us, but I can guarantee you he’s in a great place.”

While Seau was divorced, he remained close with his ex-wife and their three children. Manchester said Seau was extremely proud that his eldest, daughter Sydney, would be attending USC.

“From my perspective,” Manchester said, “his children were everything to him. And Gina was so loved by him, even in their separation.”

For all that made him beloved, Seau was fully human, something that many in San Diego knew and forgave.

His divorce in 2001 played out somewhat publicly, as did financial troubles and a 2010 incident in which he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend. Just hours after posting bail following that arrest, the vehicle Seau was driving went over a seaside cliff in Carlsbad. Seau was treated for minor injuries and told police he fell asleep as he was driving. No charges were filed in the assault case.

His death also fans the flames of a firestorm over former players’ mental health that threatens to engulf the NFL.

But Wednesday was a time for San Diego to remember one of its favorite sons for being just that.

“It’s a tragedy for the football world,” said Oceanside High football coach John Carroll. “It’s a tragedy for his family, his friends, for the entire community of San Diego. It’s just a tragedy. There’s no other word that can sum it up.”